FR2490182A1 - MACHINE FOR CLOSING THE UPPER SHUTTERS OF PARALLELE PIPEDIC BOXES WITH FOLDING SHUTTERS - Google Patents

Abstract

MACHINE FOR CLOSING THE UPPER SHUTTERS OF PARALLEPIPEDIC BOXES WITH HINGED SHUTTERS. THIS MACHINE INCLUDES, TO CLOSE THE FRONT SHUTTER, A BODY SHAPED OF A PAIR OF SENSITIVELY VERTICAL BARS 42 WHICH PROJECT IN THE COURSE OF THE SHUTTER; ANOTHER BODY, PROVIDED TO FOLD DOWN AND CLOSE THE REAR FLAP, INCLUDES A SWIVEL PALLET 29 WHICH IS ARTICULATED ON ONE END OF A RIGID ARM 21 WHOSE TRANSLATION CAN BE CONTROLLED ALONG A FIXED GUIDE PROFILE 17, AS A PRODUCE A COMBINED ROTATION AND TRANSLATION MOVEMENT OF ARM 21 BETWEEN A REST POSITION AND A WORKING POSITION IN WHICH PALLET 29 ACTS BACK FORWARD ON THE REAR FLAP. REACTION MEANS 32 PIVOT THE PALLET 29 BETWEEN AN INCLINED REST POSITION AND A HORIZONTAL WORKING POSITION AT THE END OF THE SAID MOVEMENT COMPOSED OF THE ARM 21. APPLICATION TO THE PACKAGING INDUSTRY IN BOXES OR CARTONS.

Description

The present invention relates to a machine for closing the

  Upper shutters of parallelepipedic boots with folding flaps.

  We know that to pack many products, for example

  in boots, we use parallelepipedal cardboard boots with

  folding flaps; these boots or cartons are taken from the store

  storage in a flattened state, then placed on a bench

  pleating in the upright and widened position, the lower flaps being conveniently folded in the closed position, after which one can

  fill them with the products that are intended for them.

  To subsequently close the upper flaps of the boots or boxes thus filled, machines are currently used.

  automatic machines in which they have been distributed along a

  completed boots, appropriate devices,

  first close the end flaps (front

  and back), then that of the side flaps.

  The packing operation is finally completed by the application

  an airtight adhesive tape along the separation slot

  paration of the edges of these lateral flaps, both upper and lower

laughing.

  Closing machines of this kind which are

  used now meet certain standards with regard to the devices that ensure the closure of shutters or

  upper side flaps, these devices consisting of

  by means of guiding members of adequate profile, while various and often very different solutions are adopted for the

closing the end flaps.

  One of the most effective solutions is certainly that provided in the machine described in Italian Patent No. 20,372 A / 78 filed February 17, 1978 in the name of the same Applicant, in which the

  provided for closing the end flaps

  The device comprises a closing member of the front flap and another closure member of the rear flap, these members being carried by the corresponding ends of a common V-shaped inverted support, which can pivot to move from one to the other. other two working positions to place alternatively these organs on the

  end of the end flaps and at the same time

  to come these bodies according to the different modalities set according to

  of the separate intervention they must perform.

  The object of the present invention is to realize a

  -2- China for the closure of the upper flaps of parallelepipedal folding flaps or boxes, in which the closure of the end flaps is provided by a device which, although in some ways reminiscent of that which is the subject of the application cited above, is characterized, however, by a construction

  different, simpler and more economical

  According to the present invention, this object is achieved by means of a machine of the kind comprising a support plane for the boots, means for advancing them along said support plane and, distributed

  on this level of support along the path followed by the boots, a first

  first closure member for engaging the forward end flap of the boots for folding thereof to the closed position, and a second closure member for engaging the rear end flap of the boots to perform the same. folding to the closed position, this machine being

  characterized in that said first closure member

  re consists of two substantially vertical bars which protrude on the advance path of the upper flap before the boxes, and that said second closure member is constituted by a pallet

  pivotally mounted on one end of a rigid arm which can be disengaged

  placed at will along a fixed guide section so as to allow the displacement in rotation and in translation of said arm between a rest position raised and recessed relative to the direction of advance

  boots and a lowered and advanced position to attack by

  rear means of the boxes, means being further provided to urge by reaction the rotation of said pallet between an inclined rest position and a horizontal working position for

  fold the rear flap in the closed position during the

  end of said movement of the arm.

  A typical example of practical realization of the machine

  The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is an overall perspective view of the machine; FIGURE 2 is a side view of the machine during the closing phase of the rear flap of a boot;

  FIGURE 3 is the machine in vertical cross-section taken

  line III-III of Figure 2, on a slightly larger scale; -3 -

  FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal section in which we see

  resting the closing device of the rear flap;

  FIGURE 5 is a view of the same device during the motion

  between the rest position of Figure 4 and the posi-

work of Figure 2, and

  FIGURE 6 shows the same device at the end of its movement.

  closing the rear door.

  The machine shown in the drawings, and in particular in Figure 1, essentially comprises a support plane and boots advance, which is defined by a succession of idle rollers 1 supported by a base frame 2. On each side of this support plane are arranged two endless belt drive units 3 which,

  thanks to means known per se, may be arranged at a

  transversely adjustable to allow them to wear against

  the flanks of the boots to ensure the continuous advance of these.

  Two lateral uprights 4 adjustably support

  height (thanks to a steering wheel 5 which acts on a screw system 6 and

  nut 7 housed in each upright, as shown in Figure 3) a cross member 8 to which is releasably secured, for example using a lower bolt 9 and an upper jaw 10 (Figures 1 and 2) , a cylindrical bar 11 on which are slidably mounted the respective supports 12 of profiled guide elements 13 for folding the upper side flaps of the boots and adjacent strips of biasing 14 (Figures 1 to 3). When the 10-jaw was energetically closed, the supports

  12 are locked against the cross-member 8, so that the guides benefit

  13 and the solenoid bars 14 are firmly

  held in place; on the other hand, if the jaw 10 is loosened, the cylindrical bar 11 can move slightly away from the cross-piece 8, for this purpose using the hinge pin 15 provided at the end of the bolt 9 (FIG. that the supports 12, being no longer locked, can slide along the bar 11 and be stopped in the selected position depending on the width of the boots to be closed. The crosspiece 8 supports and is rigidly secured to a structure forming a kind of transverse bridge 16, o extends, in the direction of the input end of the boots, a fixed member to

  box 17 comprising a horizontal section 18 and a mandatory section

  only upwardly 19, both open downwards, as shown in FIG. 2. 49'v T82 -4 - FIG. 3. In the horizontal portion 18 is housed a pneumatic cylinder which serves to actuate a rigid arm 21 formed by three pairs of segments. forming a broken line 22, 23 and 24, the first pair of

  segments 22 being housed inside the box guide 17 and

  sliding in the oblique section 19 as well as in the end portion of the horizontal section 18, thanks to two pairs of idle rollers (FIGS. 2 to 6). On the other hand, the other two pairs of segments 23 and 24 are arranged outside the guide 17 and are housed inside a protective cover 26 which is articulated at 27 on

the end of the fixed guide 17.

  On the free end of the rigid arm 21 is articulated at 28 a pivoting pallet 29 that a spring 30 normally holds in the position shown in Figures 4 and 5, that is to say inclined

  upwards and backwards, within the perimeter of the terminal

  This spring 30 reacts more precisely between an axis 31 secured to the arm 21 and an end of a flexible double ribbon 32 which passes around a triangular hub with rounded edges 33, integral with the pallet 29. , this tape being fixed to the hub 33 by a plate 34 and a screw 35; beyond this hub 33, the double ribbon, passing around a series of idler rollers 36, 37 and 38, reaches another anchor point 39 secured to a support 40 fixed in an adjustable manner to ascending section 19 of the fixed guide 17 (Figures 4 to 6). The length of the ribbon 32 is chosen so as to allow the pallet 29 to assume the oblique position shown in FIG. 4, this ribbon however being stretched when the arm 21 is in turn in the rest position shown by

this same Figure 4.

  Below the box-shaped guide 17 is a handlebar

  41 of inverted T-shaped section, integral with this guide and which extends parallel to the support plane boxes; its role is to maintain closed the front flap after folding in the closed position.

  This last operation is executed by two sen-

  vertically 42 (Figures 1 to 3) that are constantly protruding

  in the path followed by the front flap of the boots, in order to meet

  remove the shutter and, as a result of the shock thus produced, fold it back into the closed position. These vertical bars are supported by the fixed guide 17 so that they can pivot about parallel horizontal axes which coincide with the axes of parts 43,

249Z4S2

  - 5 - horizontally, of these bars (Figures 2 and 3). The two bars 42 can thus approach each other by rotation,

  for a purpose to be explained later.

  On the opposite side, with respect to the guide 17, the cross member 8

  finally carries a device 44 for applying a sealing tape along the slot which marks the separation between the adjacent edges of the upper side flaps, once they have

  folded or folded in the closed position. An analog device

  log 45 is inserted into the series of rollers 1 for the purpose of applying

  apply a similar adhesive tape around the slot.

  between the adjacent edges of the lower side flaps of the boxes. These devices will not be described in detail here expected

  that they are very well known and classic.

  To better understand the mode of operation of the machine shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be assumed that on the bearing plane formed by the rollers 1 and between the two endless drive belts 3, a parallelepipedal boot

  46 having an upper front flap 47, an upper flap ar-

  48 and upper side flaps 49, all these flaps being

  naturally erected almost vertically. The training bands

  3, by bearing against the flanks of the boot, determine the

  this from right to left, looking at Figure 2, to

  close the shutter and seal operations

  upper and lower shutters.

  The first intervention is that of the two green bars

  ticales 42 which, by meeting the front flap 47, fold it to its closed position. Then, the folded flap is engaged under the horizontal guide 41 which holds it in this position after

  its clearance with respect to the folding bars 42.

  An automatic device of the appropriate type (for example a pallet

  fear sensitive to the achievement of a pre-established position by a portion of the bottom of the boot) successively controls the contraction of the pneumatic cylinder 20 relative to its rest position (Figure 4), which

  has the effect of constraining the pair of segments 22 of the right arm

  21 retract to the horizontal portion 18 of the guide 17 and results in a combined movement of descent, advance and rotation, in the clockwise direction, the arm 21 (Figure 5). Since it is anchored at a fixed point (39) but also passes around returns (36, 37) which move in solidarity with this arm 21 away from said fixed point 249v 182 - 6, the flexible ribbon 32 stretches and, overcoming the

  counteracting force of the spring 30, makes the movement

  In the final phase, rotation and translation of the arm 21 is completed by a rotation. anti-clockwise direction of the pallet 29 about the axis 28. As can be seen from Figures 2 and 6, it is precisely the pallet 29 which, moving behind the rear flap 48 (characteristic that it is obtained by placing appropriately the feeler cited above), grows gradually

  this flap to the desired position of closure (Figure 6).

  It should be noted that during this phase the two vertical bars 42 do not interfere with the movement of the arm 21 and the pallet 29, since the bars have been advanced

  and raised sufficiently to be unable to be reached by the former

  front end of the pallet (Figure 6).

  Leaving underneath the pallet 29, the rear flap 48 is immediately attacked by the guide 41 which keeps it in its closed position. At the same time, the lateral flaps 49 come into contact with the organs intended to ensure their closure,

  13. The side flaps 49 are thus

  folded towards each other, which completes the closure of the boot.

  It is essential to emphasize that, to ensure success

  this last operation with boots of any length

  that, the possibility of bringing together the bars 42 by pivoting about the axis of their horizontal extension 43 is of paramount importance. If it is particularly long boots, it is found that when the front ends of the side flaps 49 are attacked by the profiled guides 13, this

  which initiates the folding movement of these shutters, the vertical bars

  shims 42 can be pushed towards each other from positions further back from the side flaps, which has the consequence

  avoid obstructing the folding of the shutters and possible

of these same components.

  Once the shutters closed, the boot advances in the space formed between the two sealing devices 44 and 45, and leaves

  with two adhesive tapes applied along the two slots that

  parent side flaps both lower and upper.

  Meanwhile, the rigid arm 21 and the pallet 29 have

  have been recalled in the rest position (Figure 4) due to the movement in the same direction of the piston of the cylinder 20, also actuated 249v182 -7-

  automatically, for example by using a flat feeler for this purpose.

  along the series of rollers 1. During this return of the arm 21 the hinge assembly provided between the cover 26 and the fixed guide 17 is a protection against possible damage caused by the introduction of the hand of the operator between the arm 21 and the

lid 26.

  As will have been noticed, the machine represents

  In the accompanying drawings, essentially in accordance with the present invention, it is used to fold the end flaps of remarkably simple means, thus of a reduced cost, while being

  particularly functional. The two vertical bars 42

  indeed, a perfect folding of the front flap which receives the necessary thrust in two symmetrical vertical zones, which avoids

  fold it obliquely as it could happen if it were uni-

  only a central push. it was also emphasized the advantage that results from the mutual approximation of these bars, which facilitates the folding of the side flaps of relatively long boots. As to

  folding the rear door, the combined movement of rotation and trans-

  the arm 21 and the final rotation of the pallet 29

  an action of recoil which ensures a perfect execution of this opera-

  as is clearly shown in Figures 2 and 6. Finally, as we have seen, there is a safety compliant with the legal requirements concerning work accidents that could be caused by the single mobile device, to know the rigid arm 21,

  which is protected by the housing or lid 26.

24 9r 182

Claims (5)

R E V E N D I C A T I 0 N S   1. Machine for closing the upper flaps of parallelepiped boots flap folding, this machine comprising a frame (2) supporting a support plane (1) for boxes, means (3) for ensuring the advance of the boots along said support plane and, distributed above said support plane, along the forward path of the boots, a first closing member adapted to act on the end flap before boxes to perform the folding up to 'at   the closed position, characterized in that said first   The closure member is constituted by a pair of strips (42) which   vertically that protrude constantly in the trajectory followed by the forward flap of the boots and that there is provided a second closure member constituted by a pivoting pallet (29) which   is articulated on one end of a rigid arm (21) that can be de-   placing under control along a profiled fixed guide (17) so as to allow the movement of this arm with a combined movement of rotation and translation between a rest position where it is raised and withdrawn, with respect to the direction of advance of the boxes, and a working position in which it is lowered and advanced to attack from behind the rear flap of the boots, means being provided to request by reaction the rotation of said pallet (29) between an inclined position of rest and a horizontal working position to ensure the folding of this rear flap in position of   closing during the end portion of said movement of the arm (21).   2. Machine according to Claim 1, characterized in that   said means are constituted by a ribbon (32) of fixed length, which is made to react between a fixed point (39) of said guide (17) and a fixed point (33) of said pallet (29) via   referrals attached to said rigid arm (21).   3. Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said fixed guide (17) is box-shaped and comprises a first horizontal section (18) and a second ascending oblique section (19), and that said rigid arm (21) is formed by a succession of segments (22, 23, 24) arranged to form certain angles with one another, the segment (22) furthest from the leading end of the pallet being slidably accommodated in the guide ( 17, 18) and maintained, at   rest, in said ascending segment (19) of this most   away from the rigid arm, towards and inside said section horizontal guide. $ 242   9 - 4. Machine according to claim 3, characterized in that said rigid arm (21), with the exception of said farthest segment, is housed, at rest, in a box-shaped protective cover (26), which articulates on this fixed guide so that it can be raised freely relative to this guide. Machine according to Claim 1, characterized in that   said substantially vertical bars (14) can pivot   all along parallel horizontal axes passing through the end upper of said bars.